Day three digest: 2021 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship

Everything you need to know from day three in Scotland

Danny dashed clear, Ahmad phoned a friend, Shane showed off his skills and it rained and rained and rained on Saturday at the 2021 Alfred Dunhill Links Championships.

Here is everything you need to know from day three on the east coast.

Willett waltzes clear

It's safe to say 2021 has been eventful for Danny Willett - and not always for the best reasons. He has had Covid-19, problems with wisdom teeth, appendicitis and a hernia, all this while not registering a top ten on the Race to Dubai. But this is a man who won the Masters Tournament, slipped to 462nd in the Official World Golf Ranking and then won two Rolex Series events in 12 months. A bogey free 66 at St Andrews moved him to 14 under and into a thee shot lead with 18 holes to play. And it's his birthday on Sunday. When the going gets tough............

“The first thing I did was text Tiger!”

Ahmad Rashad has achieved many great things in his 71 years but the former NFL star will never forget the day he made a hole-in-one at Kingsbarns Golf Links. The four time Pro Bowl player took a seven iron off the tee at the 176 yard 15th and found the bottom of the cup for a net zero. He knew exactly what to do next. “The first thing I did was text Tiger!” he said. “He is a dear friend of mine and I wanted to let him know. He got back straight away - all he said was: ‘Well, I guess that means you’re buying'." Not a bad number to have.

Lowry loves links

Shane Lowryproved once again why he is one of the most renowned links players in golf as he carded a 67 at St Andrews in tough conditions to sit just three shots off the lead. After carding a 71 in relatively benign conditions at the notoriously difficult Carnoustie Golf Links on day one, he carded a 67 in high winds at Kingsbarns and then matched it on the Old Course as heavy rain came into play. He now heads into the final 18 holes at the Home of Golf just three back. "I'm OK with the wind," he said. "It was like the rain started coming in, it was quite cold out there and the ball was going nowhere. I'm able to deal with that, I'm able to do it." He's got a Claret Jug to prove it.

Billy takes shelter

There was a spell around 2pm at St Andrews where even the hardiest of links golfers would have struggled to cope. Billy Horschel is not used to links conditions but the affable American is never one to shy away from a challenge. As long as he has an umbrella.

Making the last look easy

First it was Richard Bland.

The Bob MacIntyre and Alex Noren got in on the act.

Nerves of steel.